Footprints in the Snow
by synonyms for scream
Summary: I remember the promise you made to me… Are we still going to walk together, through the snow this winter…? [oneshot] [YukiMachi] [KyoTohru]


**Footprints in the Snow** by Ryuuka Sharingan Girl

**Summary:** I remember the promise you made to me… Are we still going to walk together, through the snow this winter…//oneshot.YukiMachi.KyoTohru//

**A/N: **I'm sorry. I hadn't the faintest idea of what Yuki calls Machi (or vice versa). The only volumes I read with Machi in them were published by a different company, and they'd removed all the suffixes. If I'm wrong, please correct me and I'll fix it (I'm currently assuming he calls her, "Machi-san"? And that Machi calls him, "Yuki-san"//_shrugs_//).

**Note: **_I never read the whole series of Fruits Basket. All I know is that Yuki and Machi get together in the end (much to my displeasure. I'll always be a __**YukiTohru **__shipper) from reading things off Wikipedia. I do not know much about what happened, and I am not sure if he ever fulfilled his promise to make footprints in the snow with her. Nevertheless, I am basing this on the assumption that he did __**not**__. I don't care if I'm wrong._

**Setting: Before **the end of the series. I don't know exactly when. A while after Yuki admits that what he's been seeking from Tohru is the elusive shadow of a mother (mainly because the highest volumes I've read are 14 and 18).

* * *

Reluctantly, I forced my eyes away from the boy beside me and focused my gaze on my trembling hands, clasped together in my lap. _Yuki-san…_

"So, has anyone noticed any technical or janitorial difficulties in the school?" he droned, pulling the box of chalk in front of me closer to himself. My eyes flicked to the perfect, unsnapped pieces of pure white and I felt my nails dig into the palms of my hands. Why did Kimi have to buy a new box of chalk yesterday?

To my surprise, he picked up his now-routine habit of snapping the top piece in half, and picked up the longer half to write with. I directed my head towards the table, but my eyes followed him to the board.

"I think one of the computers in the lab is broken," said Kakeru, folding his arms behind his head and leaning on the back legs of his chair. Yuki wrote it neatly on the chalkboard, and turned back to Kakeru when he was done.

"Idiot. You're going to fall if you keep doing that," he muttered, rolling his eyes. Kakeru grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Ah, Yuki-kun…" sighed Kimi, clasping her hands to her chest and eyeing Yuki dreamily. "Always so caring…"

Everyone in the room except me groaned, but I rolled my eyes inwardly. At every council meeting, it was _something_.

"Um… Thank you?" Yuki managed, giving the girl an awkward stare.

Kimi gasped as if Yuki had just announced his love for her on top of the Eiffel Tower, shirtless and wearing a tartan miniskirt. "Does Yuki-kun care for Kimi too?!"

Yuki blinked owlishly, not sure how to respond. He bit his lip and uneasily, and his grip on the chalk tightened slightly. "Er… Yes?"

I clenched my fists, feeling jealousy build up inside of me. I didn't know what the answer would be if I asked that question, because I couldn't bring myself to ask it.

Suddenly, I found myself tackled out of my chair and in a crumpled heap on the floor, Kimi having jumped forwards at Yuki's reply. I honestly didn't give it much thought. It wasn't too painful, and it wasn't as if I was taking advantage of being the closest to Yuki or anything.

"Machi-san!" exclaimed Yuki, rushing forwards and crouching down to help me. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," I replied, pulling myself up onto my elbows.

"Kimi, you could have really hurt her!" scolded the silver-haired Sohma, placing a pale hand on my shoulder. I felt my cheeks heat up and bowed my head, hoping that it would conceal my blush.

"Aw, why is Yuki-kun always so protective of her?" asked Kimi 'innocently', tilting her head with a manicured fingernail. "Could it be that Yuki-kun… _loves_ Machi?"

I was going to kill that girl.

Yuki spluttered something incoherent, but did not respond; strangely enough, I noticed that his hand did not stray from its place on my shoulder.

"So in other words, that's a yes?" drawled a lazy voice, smirk obvious.

My head shot up and I fixed a steely glare on my half-brother.

"Kakeru!" reprimanded Yuki with a scowl. He gave an irritated sigh, grabbed my hand—causing me to blush once again—and hoisted me to my feet, muttering something about seriously regretting accepting the position as president. Once he'd made sure that I was unharmed, he picked up the forgotten piece of chalk and walked back over to the board. "So, does anyone have any other matters they'd like to discuss?"

"Yo," said Kakeru, raising a hand. Yuki arched a silver eyebrow, and the other took it as a sign to continue. "I'd like to discuss your relationship with my lil' sis."

I turned scarlet, snatched up a piece of chalk from the box beside me and threw it at him, only to find it hit in unison with a smaller, broken piece. I turned to Yuki at the exact same moment that he turned to me; to my surprise, his already pink face turned a much darker shade of red and he turned away.

"Dismissed," he mumbled, turning and walking out the door, staring blatantly at the floor.

"Wait a minute!" protested Nao, jumping up from his seat. I was admittedly startled; he had been silent throughout the entire conversation, and I had almost forgotten that he was there. "We didn't finish the—"

"We can do it tomorrow," was the uttered reply as the silver-haired boy left the room.

"What kind of a president are you?!"

There was no reply.

Hesitantly, I made the first move; I bowed slightly and strode quietly out of the room, ignoring my half-brother's joking warnings of 'hanky-panky'.

"Yuki-san?"

He stopped, not too far ahead of me; I cringed when he didn't turn his head to look at me.

"Yes, Machi-san?"

"… I…" I began, not sure what to say. Why the hell did I even stop him in the first place? "I—I…"

"Yuki-kun!"

Both of our heads snapped to the right, surprised to see Tohru Honda running towards us, dragging her orange-haired boyfriend, Kyo Sohma, behind her. She waved, tugging energetically on Kyo's wrist when he stopped in mid-step, complaining about having to go near Yuki.

I looked at them, jealously and longingly. Everyone knew that the two had gotten together, no matter how shocked they were by Kyo's admittance, and they had quickly become a welcome couple in the school.

I turned away and narrowed my eyes at the wall. If only I could be that brave…

"Yes, Honda-san?" Yuki inquired, smiling politely for the brunette. He returned the cold glare that Kyo was giving him momentarily, his gaze softening the moment the girl spoke.

"It's snowing, Yuki-kun!" she exclaimed happily. "The roads are all covered in snow, and all the students went outside to have a look! Kyo-kun and I were just on our way down, and we were wondering if you'd like to come!"

"… I would love to," he replied.

Unexpectedly, he turned to me, still smiling softly.

"Would you like to come too, Machi-san?"

Deftly, I nodded, and my mind caught on the promise that the Sohma had made me earlier in the year.

"_Hey… if it… should keep snowing like this… shall we… go make those footprints together?"_

He continued smiling, and as we walked down the silent halls, I felt his hand brush against mine, and for a moment—just a small moment—our pinkies interlocked.

"… _It's a promise then."_

* * *

"K—Kyo-kun! Th—That doesn't look like an angel at all!"

"A—ARGH! J—Just shut up, all of ya! And you! Stop laughing!"

"Y—Yes! Ah—Ahahaha!"

"I told you to—!"

"Machi-san?"

I tore my eyes away from the couple and turned to Yuki curiously. "Yes, Yuki-san?"

"Do you… still want to make those footprints in the snow together?"

My eyes widened in shock, and a blush spread across my face. "I—I—… Y—Yes… I—… I do."

The silver-haired boy held out his arm for me to take and smiled. "Then let's go. Shall we?"

I walked forwards without thinking, still dumbstruck, and wrapped my arms around his, leaning my head on his shoulder, almost casually. As if it were second nature.

"Yuki-kun? Where are you—?" began Tohru curiously, stepping towards us. Kyo placed a hand on her shoulder and stopped her. "Kyo-kun?"

"Give him some time alone with her, Tohru," he replied, watching our retreating backs. I instinctively moved closer to Yuki under his stare.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tohru turn around to face Kyo and ask something. Kyo answered with a soft smile, that was only meant for her, leant down and kissed her.

I wished that I could one day share a perfect moment like that with someone. Share a kiss in the snow, surrounding by those pure sheets of endless white.

For once, I wouldn't hate to have something as perfect as that.

I wouldn't hate to have a perfect life.

I wouldn't hate to spend my life with the perfect person.

I loved perfect.

Because he's perfect.

* * *

Throughout most of the walk, I kept my eyes trained on my feet, watching as my shoes made neat imprints in the soft snow. Occasionally, I would steal a glance at Yuki, but he was too focused on his own feet to notice. I was glad for that.

"Yuki-san?" I ventured timidly, looking up at him. He turned in response and tilted his head in question.

"Hm?"

"I, um…" Gathering all my nerves, I managed to chase out any nervousness from my voice, and said, "Thank you. For keeping your promise today."

For a while, he looked slightly surprised. Slowly, the corners of his lips twitched upwards and he smiled. At me.

It was then that I realized how close we were.

Our noses, which had been a mere centimetre apart, brushed gently when Yuki leant forwards, and I _knew_ that I was blushing, but I couldn't care less.

Suddenly, he pressed his lips against mine, and the whole world froze for us. It wasn't a deep kiss, but it was real, oh god it was _real_. It was the perfect moment, it was _my_ perfect moment, with _him_.

He pulled away, still smiling warmly at me, and kept our noses touching in order to stay close. I let out a shuddering breath, which was turned to mist by the cold winter air, and gripped his jacket tightly as I struggled to stay warm.

"Any time," he said quietly.

We moved away after that, but I knew it was alright. It didn't feel saddening, and it didn't hurt in any way. I kept close to him, and he kept his arm around me, to hold me tightly, and I found myself smiling.

"… You're perfect," I whispered when we started walking again.

There was silence for a moment, but it wasn't awkward. It was… comfortable.

"Does that mean you hate me?" he asked jokingly.

"No," I murmured, shaking my head and leaning into his one-armed embrace. "I couldn't hate you. I love you."

"I'm glad the feeling's mutual."

We both laughed at that, even though it wasn't a joke. It was funny. I don't think either of us expected to go through this point in life. Yet, we were here. At this place. This place in time where everything is just _perfect_ and you wish you could stay here forever.

Forever.

With him.

* * *

_**Owari

* * *

**_

Um… Yeah. I'm not good at romance. I'm not exactly a very romantic person. And I don't really know how to view Machi. Or, for that matter, Yuki in a relationship. I hope I did alright.


End file.
